Everyone complains about it and blames it for everything: from flu and headaches to high blood pressure and cancer. Some authorities claim that 70-80 per cent of the patients visiting the doctor are suffering from it.

It is stress, today's buzzword for a raft of disorders ranging from annoying discomforts to life-threatening circumstances.

And researchers at Cornell University Medical College in New York agree, dubbing stress the most debilitating medical condition in the United States. Sadly, we spend a great deal of timeand money treating these conditions while failing to recognise and address their underlying cause - STRESS!

What is STRESS?

I often hear the complaint - 'my husband (or wife), child, boss (or employee), crime or the economy is stressing me out'. This attitude is based on the mistaken notion that stress is something 'out there', an external agent or force. It is extremely important tounderstand that stress is not a thing, it is a response.

Stress is the internal response that the individual has to an external stimulus. We humansare very good at finding scapegoats for the way we feel. But, stress is not your spouse or your financial situation. It is not what is happening on theoutside. The external events are called stressors, while your internal reaction is the stress. The enemy is within.

This distinction between stress and stressor is critical. Very often, we cannot change the external factors (stressors),but we can learn to control our internal response to those stressors. We don't have to be victims. We have the power and the ability to choose. The most powerful source of stress is in our own minds.

It is important to realise that stress is not necessarily a bad thing.

Life will always have its stressors. If we can handle them well, they can serve to stimulate us to greater strength and accomplishments.

Good stress management is not simply trying to avoid stressors; that may not be possible or even advisable. The idea is to learn how to handle and deal with it effectively. Just as how the body has a stress reaction - the 'flight or fight response' - so, too, there is also a relaxation response, where the body calms and releases its tensions and the brain produces its own tranquillisers (endorphins) in the right amounts at theright time and without side effects.

Learning how to elicit this relaxation response is key to good stress management.

Managing Stress

Identify and list your main stressors. Become aware of your reactions to them. Learn to observe yourself in stressful situations so you can begin to choose how you respond instead of an unconscious reaction. Don't react. Respond.

Explore ways to elicit your relaxation response. Different people have different activities that relax them, e.g., listening to music, doing your favourite hobby, social work, etc. I particularly recommend the audio CD programme, 'A Time To Relax'. It contains specially composed music by my colleague, Dr. Winsome Miller-Rowe, while I lead you through a series of breathing and visualisation exercises designed to teach you how to put yourself into deep relaxation. It is particularly helpful for people who have difficulty falling asleep.

Regular (daily) exercise, particularly yoga, deep breathing, meditation, self-hypnosis and visualisation exercises are most beneficial. Every Thursday evening, in Kingston, I teach a special stress management class using a technique called yoga nidra.

Seek professionalhelp for counselling or psychotherapy, if necessary. This will assist you in identifying the underlying source of your stress and to develop better ways of releasing tension.

Be extremely careful about using drugs to alleviate stress symptoms. These include recreational drugs like alcohol and marijuana, as well as prescription medicines like valium and ativan. They only give temporary relief and are all potentially addictive.

A proper diet is extremely important. Aim to include five or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily, along with an optimal protein intake. I recommend the cellular nutrition programme with nutritional supplements like fish oils with omega-3 fats, magnesium and the B vitamins. Avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners, MSG, hydrogenated oils and fried foods.

The herbs tang quei, chamomile, kava, St. John's wort and valerian are excellent non-drug alternatives to tranquilliser medication.

Body work and energy techniques like massage, reflexology, reiki and aromatherapy are highly recommended.

You can call, 906-8403 for details of the yoga nidra class, or 927-8871 for information on cellular nutrition and vitamins and herbs for stress and the other therapies mentioned above.

HOW DOES STRESS AFFECT US?

Medical science is becoming more and more aware of how powerfully the mind and its thoughts affect the body. Common manifestations of stress are:

Sleep disorders.

Anxiety and nervousness, headaches, dizziness and various unusual sensations in the head.

Sexual problems: impotence, premature ejaculation, low libido and difficulty in achieving an orgasm.

Digestive problems: gas, indigestion, diarrhoea or constipation, irritable bowel syndrome.

Depression, low energy, emotional and mental disturbances, difficulty in concentration, ringing in the ears, chest pain, backache.

Awareness of heartbeat, high blood pressure, difficulty in breathing, tingling or numbness in the hands and/or feet.

Menstrual disturbance, infertility and hormone imbalances.

Accident proneness, phobias, poor performance, e.g., examinations.